How should I go about finding the right sustainable heating and energy solutions for my home and budget?

28 August 2024
by Claire Lea

We're undertaking a major renovation project and will be inheriting a bank of existing solar panels and an old gas central heating system with the property. For our new heating, lighting and power, we'd like to ensure what we select is as sustainable as our budget allows. We're keen to make use of the existing solar system and have looked briefly into air source heat pumps and biomass heating. What's the best way to get an idea of what we will need to meet our household demands and which options are realistic for our budget? Are there companies or advisors out there who can provide everything we need or will we have to shop around and piece the options together?

One Answer

  1. Nigel Griffiths says:

    Hi Claire,

    Thanks so much for your question. The answer to this question is that it depends on the nature of the property and its context, and on the occupants. Most advice you will receive is from people supplying or fitting products, so it won’t be independent. There are consultants out there (like me) who provide independent advice but experienced ones who will genuinely respond to the property are hard to find. One-size-fits-all solutions are to be avoided.

    Heat pumps work best with underfloor heat distribution as this runs at a lower temperature, though oversized radiators can be used. Heat pumps also work best in very well insulated properties. solid walled, brick or stone pre-1919 buildings wouldn’t be suitable for external wall insulation for example, (though they can have limited internal wall insulation retrofitted), and many buildings up to the 1970s have solid concrete floors which generally can’t accommodate the insulation you need below underfloor heating.

    Your solar PV is useful, but it won’t do much to power a heat pump in the winter – you’ll still be using mains electricity for most of it. Cost should always be a key consideration – the more money you spend the more resources you are consuming so the greater is your environmental impact in terms of consumption of scarce resources and use of embodied energy/carbon. When it comes to running costs, bear in mind that a heat pump will be more expensive to run in winter than a gas boiler, so consider a hybrid option which retains (and automatically switches to) the gas boiler for the coldest months, but uses an air source heat pump for the spring, summer and autumn.

    If you’re planning a major renovation, get the rest of the fabric right (roof, windows etc) and don’t forget about solar water heating, which is less expensive than other renewables to install. There’s nothing wrong with biomass in the right location as long as the fuel source is sustainable (waste is best), and it can reuse the existing heat distribution system. But first, talk to someone independent and experienced.

    Best of luck with your plans,

    Nigel Griffiths (Build It’s Sustainability expert)

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